turnsole

[ turn-sohl ]

noun

any of several plants regarded as turning with the movement of the sun.
heliotrope (def. 2).

a European plant, Chrozophora tinctoria, of the spurge family, yielding a purple dye.
the purple dye prepared from this plant; litmus.

Origin of turnsole

1325–75; Middle English turnesole<Middle French tournesol the dye <Italian tornasole the plant, literally, (it) turns (toward the) sun, on the model of Greek hēliotrópionheliotrope

Words Nearby turnsole

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use turnsole in a sentence

The lower part from a was filled with water tinged blue, or rather purple, with the juice of turnsole, or archil.
Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air | Joseph Priestley
He styles the colouring substance itself cutbear, persio, or turnsole; and distributes the lichens as follows:—1st.
A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines | Andrew Ure
The lichen which produces archil is subjected to another preparation, to make turnsole (litmus).
A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines | Andrew Ure
A violet tint is given by the tinctures of turnsole and cochineal.
A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines | Andrew Ure

British Dictionary definitions for turnsole

turnsole

/ (ˈtɜːnˌsəʊl) /

noun

any of various plants having flowers that are said to turn towards the sun
a euphorbiaceous plant, Croton tinctoria, of the Mediterranean region that yields a purple dye

the dye extracted from this plant

Origin of turnsole

C14: from Old French tournesole, from Old Italian tornasole, from tornare to turn + sole sun, from Latin sōl sun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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